Love You Like a Brother
by pink-seafoam-and-sparkles
Summary: During the reaping for the 75th hunger games, Primrose Everdeen might have lost a sister, but she gained two brothers: Brice and Marius Mellark.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Suzanne Collins owns everything.**

Before the reaping if you had asked Prim what first came to mind after hearing "Marius Mellark" she would have come up with:

Super-strong

Arrogant

Wrestler

Baker's Son

Likes squirrels

Tall

Gale's enemy

If you had asked her what first came to mind when hearing "Brice Mellark" she would have said:

Quiet

Smartish

Likes Squirrels

Super tall

…he bakes bread.

If you had asked the Mellark brothers what they thought about Primrose Everdeen they would tease Peeta about his crush on Katniss, Prim's older sister.

But somehow, fate stepped in. Doesn't it always? Primrose Everdeen gained a way to help get over her sister's certain death; and the Mellark brothers got the little sister they never had. And this is how.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

"Because... because she came here with me." Peeta says on the screen in the market square, blushing. There is a collective gasp from the crowd and Rory, Vick, Posy, and Hazelle are almost certain that Gale just growled. They can barely hear him over Brice Mellark, Marius Mellark, and Primrose Everdeen's exclamation of "WHAT?"

Prim is a young, sweet, innocent, little twelve-year-old who has heard her sister many times, as she very clearly states that she will never fall in love, never marry, never have kids, etc. To Prim, the mere thought of Katniss being involved romantically with a boy- especially a boy not named "Gale Hawthorne"- is atrocious. Not to mention the fact that Katniss and Peeta would be trying to kill each other in a few days. So, Primrose's yelp was one of question, a "did-I-really-just-hear-what-I-think-I-heard" kind of yelp. The same one Gale gave after Rory asked him for girl advice for the first time.

Brice and Marius's outcry, however, had an entirely different meaning behind it. For eleven years the older Mellark brothers had teased and badgered, ridiculed and harassed Peeta about his crush on Katniss. They asked him questions like, "What do you think Katniss thought of your defeat on the wrestling mat today" or, "Did you see Katniss's shirt today? It made her look super-hot!" or the worst: "Does she even know you exist?" They teased him about when he would finally tell Katniss he liked her, and how she would tell him that she didn't return the feeling. Brice and Marius had never actually thought that Peeta would ever reveal his true feelings, and certainly not on live television. Therefore, their cry was one of "What-the-heck-do-you-think-you're-doing?".

As the camera shows Katniss blushing, Prim lets out another scream of, "WHAT?" Katniss Everdeen is blushing. Because of a boy. It was all so much to take in! Add that to the fact that Katniss must be in agony now that she knows that only one of them can make it out of the arena alive.

Marius, never one to be outshined, echoes Prim's outcry, but makes it more dramatic. For, in Marius's mind, the perfect way to cope with tragedy is a healthy competition. "WHAT?", he yells.

Prim allows herself a small smile, although her mind was still in a whirlwind of emotions. But, Primrose Everdeen was never one to pass up a game (the hunger games being an exception) and loved making new friends. So, she screams back, "WHAT?"

Making this cute, little girl's smile after all she's been through does something to Marius, and he throws his head back in laughter before screeching, loader than before, "WHAAAAAAT?"

Prim then responds with another "WHAT?", and soon the two have been through robot voices, different pitches, and even singing the word 'what'. It is when they both are gasping for air from laughing so hard that Mrs. Mellark drags her family away, embarrassed that she was related to the screaming boy. As Prim smiles and waves goodbye, and Marius does the same, that Marius vows to himself that no matter what happens to Peeta or Katniss, he won't let little Primrose starve. He missed his chance to save his own little sibling when he didn't volunteer and the reaping, but Marius is determined not to let another sibling die off if he has to power to change it. And he does.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Here is the next chapter of Love You Like a Brother. Please read and review!**

**Disclaimer: All rights to the Hunger Games belong to Suzanne Collins. Except for Marius and Brice. They're mine. But you can use them in your stories if you want. Just ask me first :)**

Prim hears the trumpets and knows Claudius Templesmith is about to call a feast. She grips Yadira's hand tighter; hoping against hope that Katniss would be smart and realize she doesn't need to go into the fatal blood-bath, she has enough supplies.

It is lunchtime in the school cafeteria and all students are watching the games. Prim feels comforted with her best friend Yadira on her left and her best guy-friend Rory Hawthorne on her right. They're in their way to being more-than-friends though; Prim can feel it.

The voice booms down loud and clear, ringing in the crowded room: "Congratulations to all remaining tributes! There has been a rule change. I repeat, there has been a rule change. Two tributes may win if they are from the same district. If the last two tributes remaining are from the same district they will both be declared winners. May the odds be ever in your favor!"

It takes a while for the news to sink in. Prim's body registers it before her brain. Already, tears of joy are falling from her eyes onto Rory's shirt. She is hugging him and Yadira like there's no tomorrow. She can't wipe the silly grin off her face. "They can both live." Prim thinks, "They can both live and sponsors will grow crazy over them! I'll have my sister back!" Of course, it's Griselda Eunice who ruins it.

"I don't understand what all this fuss is about." she says, making sure the whole room can hear her, "I mean, Katniss is obviously going to die anyway! They just want to see Peeta's reaction!" The cafeteria falls silent, all eyes on Griselda and watching what Katniss Everdeen's sister will do to her. The answer? She runs out of the room, sobbing.

Rory and Yadira get up to go and comfort her, but Ms. Soble doesn't allow it. They reluctantly sit down. In the section with eighteen-year-olds both Gale's and Marius's mouths drop open. They look toward their teacher who nods, letting the two mortal enemies forget their differences for a few minutes and go comfort the grieving girl.

Outside, Prim is sitting on a piece of wood, arms wrapped around her knees, watery eyes sobbing into her hands.

"Hey, hey. It's okay." Gale says, wrapping his arms around Prim in an older-brother-like gesture. Instead of responding, she cries into his shoulder.

"That girl didn't know what she was talking about. You know, I bet Katniss and Peeta are going to make it out alive, move into the Victor's Village with us, and have two kids: a boy named Marius and a girl named Primrose." Marius tells Prim, ignoring Gale's hostile glare and instead focusing on Primrose's adorable giggle.

"But wouldn't Brice be jealous?" she inquires.

"Yeah, but whatever. They can get a cat and name it Brice."

Prim giggles again. "I'm sure he'll love that."

"Tell you what: you can come over to the bakery after school and we can tell him then. Okay?"

"Okay!" Prim gives Marius a smile from ear to ear.

Gale, obviously not happy but trying not to let it show, looks down at Prim and asks, "You ready to go back in?"

Prim gives a tentative nod. "Yeah." she says, getting up.

"Race you!" she suddenly squeals, running ahead and leaving the two eighteen-year-olds in the dust.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:As much as I wish I owned Peeta, he belongs to Suzanne Collins. And Katniss. But mostly Suzanne Collins.**

"Here you go" the baker said, placing a steaming plate of pita bread on the kitchen table. Two pairs of hands started greedily taking pieces of the triangular bread and stuffing it in their mouths.

"Are you sure?" Prim asked the baker, who responded with a nod. "Eat up. The Cartwrights bought a box of pita bread and are letting us have it. Nice girl, that Delly."

Prim smiled in thanks and dug in, knowing that if she didn't soon, there wouldn't be anything left.

It isn't long before there's one piece of bread on the platter in front of the kids. (Or, as Brice prefers to be called: Young Adults.) Brice and Marius grapple for it, and Marius eventually falls on top. He did win the school wrestling match, after all. Marius stares at the bread in his hands for a few seconds before generously giving it to Prim. She smiles the genuine smile that both the Mellark boys love; brighting up both the day and the room.

"For me? Really?" she asks in astonishment.

Marius nods, resulting in Prim giving him a hug before quickly sitting back down in her chair to finish her bread.

As she starts eating it questions flood into her mind.

"Was Peeta named after pita bread?" Prim asks, putting her already bitten-into piece of bread down. Brice chuckles and nods.

"And… and you were named after rice?" Prim points at Brice.

"Actually, Brice literally means 'son of rice' so, in a sense, yes, I was named after rice."

Prim giggles, illuminating the house with a wondrous sound. She nibbles a bit on her bread, looking confused.

"Any other questions, Prim?", Marius raises an eyebrow.

"Well, what about you, Marius? What does your name have anything to do with anything?" she inquires.

Marius smiles at her, "I was named after the handsome hero of my mom's favorite musical. It was one that survived past when Panem was still called 'North America.'"

Prim's brow wrinkles, even more confused than before. "But your not named Emmett."

"Emmett? What musical is that?"

"Legally Blonde. Duh."

"No. I was named after Les Misérables."

"Oh. Katniss said I wasn't allowed to see that."

Brice snorts and says, "Well, Katniss is a good sister."

Marius laughs, "Yeah. We locked Peeta in a room and made him watch the 'lovely lady' scenes when he was ten."

"We?" Brice counters

Marius sighs. "Fine I did. But Brice didn't object and he laughed just as hard as I did at Peeta's expression when he came out."

A sigh escapes from Brice's lips, "That is true."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Prim giggles again. "You won't do that to me though, right?"

"Right" the Mellark brothers say.

"So, are you going to finish that?", Marius points to the forgotten piece of bread in Prim's fingers.

Prim quickly consumes it and exclaims, "Yep!"


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: So, so, so sorry for the long wait! My bat mitzvah was a few weeks ago, and I was in my school's production of Les Mis this past weekend. But, i'm back to writing! Hope you enjoy!**

Prim walks into the bakery, holding a paper in her left hand, and a purple pen in her right. The door slams shut behind her, and she squeals in fright. Prim isn't used to doors that close as soon as you open them. She then calms down, and walks up to the counter where Marius is, waiting for customers. "I need help", she tells him, showing him the paper. Marius scoffs when looking upon it. "I can't do math. You'll have to ask Brice. He's in the back, waiting for the rolls to bake. " "Okay!", Prim says, picking up the paper and skipping through the double doors leading to the kitchen.

Brice is sitting in a chair next to an oven, watching the timer on the oven count down from 2 hours. Right now it's at 1 hour and 4o minutes left. "Will you help me with my math homework?" Prim asks, giving him the sheet. "Simplifying Monomials", Brice reads, "Sure, I'll help you!" Prim smiles. "Thanks", she says, "I did the first six problems, but numbers 7 and 8 confuse me. My mom is working, and Katniss…" the little girl trails off, lost in memories of an older sister who has a tragic fate set out for her. Brice snaps her out of it when he begins explaining the homework to her. "Okay, so number seven says 15x3y-2 over 3x2y3, right?" "Right.", Prim agrees. "Okay, so you divide x2 from x3 and get one x on top, and none on the bottom. And here you have a negative exponent on the top, so you bring it to the bottom. So, now you have 15x over 3y5. You can simplify these constants-" Brice is cut off. "Constants?" Prim asks, puzzled. "Sorry, I meant the numbers. So now you have 3x over y5." "Ohhhhh, I get it.", Prim says, nodding slowly, "That means number eight is 5ac2 over b6?" Brice nods. "Good job!", he exclaims. "Thanks!", Prim says, then sits and watches the bread rise with him.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Here's the last chapter :) Please read and review!**

And here they were again: the Mellarks and Everdeens in the town square, in the seats of honor, watching the TV. Only, this time, instead of watching Katniss and Peeta be tributes, they were watching Peeta propose. Many things have changed in the six months since the 74th Hunger Games, yet many things have stayed the same.

Instead of teasing Peeta about Katniss, Brice and Marius tease Prim about Rory Hawthorne. The two are "dating". Although, in District 12, two twelve-year-olds dating just means holding hands on the walk to school. Now that both the Mellarks and Everdeens have money, food, and time to spare, every Wednesday after school, Prim (sometimes with Rory or Yadira in tow), comes to the bakery and bakes cookies the color of Prim's choice. These cookies usually are pink with purple and yellow sprinkles.

As the first tear spills out of Prim's big, blue eyes, Brice envelops her in a hug. Even though Prim knows the engagement isn't real to Katniss, it's real to Prim. When two people get married, it symbolizes the joining of their families. "Now we can really be siblings", Marius says, joining Brice and Prim's hug. Deep in their hearts, the three know that they were already brothers and sister, long before Peeta said they were.


End file.
